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Aladdin (character)
“''Some day, Abu, things are gonna change. We'll be rich, live in a palace, and never have any problems at all.” ―Aladdin on his dreams '''Aladdin' (علاء الدين) is the protagonist of the 1992 Disney animated feature film of the same name, its sequels and television series. His speaking voice is provided by Scott Weinger while his singing voice is provided by Brad Kane. Background Aladdin was born to Cassim and an unnamed woman. Even then, Aladdin's background was one of struggle, prompting his father to leave Agrabah in hopes of finding a way to better provide for his family. After his leave, Aladdin's mother was captured by bandits, and Aladdin was left to fend for himself. By the time Cassim returned, he couldn't find his family, believing them to be dead, resulting in him leaving Agrabah out of despair, where he'd eventually become ruler of the infamous Forty Thieves. Due to being orphaned so early, Aladdin never received a formal education, and thus was forced to learn to survive in the streets of Agrabah. Lacking other means, he steals only to survive, but his good heart often moves him to give what he has stolen to others as poor or poorer than him, making him a sort of Robin Hood-type thief. When Aladdin was seven, he had his first encounter with Razoul, the new captain of the Sultan's guard. Aladdin had stolen an apple from a fruit stand (in the same manner as Jasmine in the first film). Initially, the boy managed to outmaneuver the guards. Eventually, he was apprehended and sentenced to detention within the palace dungeon; however, he managed to escape by picking the locks to his chains. While in his mid-teen years, he stole a vest, a pair of pants, and a fez from a clothes line. When he was sixteen, he fell in with a group of circus performers; Aziz, Fatima, Minos and their pet, who would eventually become his best friend, Abu the Monkey. Personality Despite his upbringing, at the start of the film, Aladdin was a generally optimistic, fun-loving, and charming character. Though he was forced to steal for survival, he showed joy in escaping the brutish guards, alongside his sidekick Abu, and showed an attempt to find enjoyment in the struggles of his day-to-day life. Nevertheless, though he didn't mind stealing from the marketplace denizens, albeit forcibly so, Aladdin was, in no way, a selfish character. Not only were the thefts for survival, as mentioned before, Aladdin was never above sacrificing his food for the less fortunate of Agrabah, such as starving children. This is an example of Aladdin's selflessness, which was showcased several times throughout the film, specifically for the sake of Jasmine, and most notably, during the finale, Genie. This trait was also carried over to the further stories of the franchise, such as Return to Jafar, where the street rat is shown to commonly rob lairs of thieves, and donate the stolen jewels and riches to Agrabah's less fortunate citizens. However, despite his cheery, fun-loving nature, Aladdin was also shown to be insecure. Being a street rat, Aladdin normally faced discrimination in the city of Agrabah, and was seen as a worthless member of society. This cruelty eventually led Aladdin to believe such claims, as he saw himself unworthy of Princess Jasmine's affections, and far from a "diamond of the rough", for the majority of the original film. This insecurity partially led to the creation of Aladdin's "Prince Ali" ego. By the end of the film, once Aladdin managed to prove his worth by defeating the villainous Jafar and saving the kingdom, Aladdin's low outlook upon himself diminished, and he was more accepting of who he truly was: a street rat, as his skills and intelligence, which were learned through the lifestyle of a scavenging street urchin, are what ultimately saved Agrabah.